In this final installment of the ‘Mentoring Moment for Managers’ series, Michelle and Maria welcome an expert in the field, who is also a longtime friend and colleague, to share her vast amount of experience and wisdom. Diane Scarpa is a Learning and Development specialist at a Fortune 500 company where much of what she does revolves around helping new leaders move into their roles. A leader herself, Diane brings yet another unique and highly valuable perspective to this remarkably important series.
Diane begins by sharing some of her background, and then Michelle describes the origins of the ‘Mentor Moments’ concept. Diane goes on to share her first and foremost piece of advice for new leaders, how to practice not needing to be the expert in everything, and explains the notion of ‘firing yourself’. Together our hosts and guest explore the roles that growth mindset, situational leadership, levels of readiness, and insecurity play in the life of a recently appointed leader. They conclude with a look into the process of picking your team and Diane’s main takeaway for listeners here today. Filled with the friendly banter and exchange of quality ideas that are the trademarks of a thoughtful discussion among respected professionals, today’s episode is another ‘must listen’ and a fitting conclusion to this crucial series.
The Finer Details of This Episode:
Quotes:
“They were not hired because they were the expert in everything under their domain, they were not hired because they were the smartest person. Most likely, they were hired or promoted because they showed an aptitude to be able to learn something new, and to be able to take advantage of those around them and utilize everybody's skills.”
“Every time I took a promotion, I wanted someone to crack my skull open and pour all the knowledge in.”
“I didn't have to hit the ground knowing everything about the position, and it was okay if I engaged my team and I let them be the experts where they were the experts.”
“It's humility, it's trust, and it's ‘get out of your own way’.”
“People tend to revert back to that old role when they're most uncomfortable in that new role.”
“And that's a hard place for a lot of leaders to be. They've had success in the past, and they are just not comfortable, or remembering what it's like to be the new kid on the block.”
“I have to talk people off the ledge on a regular basis.”
“You always want to bring someone that's, like, smarter than you essentially at the end of the day. But you always want to make sure that it's a good culture fit.”
“It really feels like a lot of the advice you were giving right now boils down to being able to take a hard look at myself, and being comfortable with being uncomfortable.”
“It means you're in a place to help other people. It means you're in a place to make an impact.”
“You've got to be able to slow down, take some time, assess where you're at, assess what you need, and don't be afraid to ask for help.”
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